


Word to the Wise

by Phoenix_Vagabond



Category: Now You See Me (Movies)
Genre: Cheating, Engagement, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Sex, Unprotected Sex, lead up to the wedding, you are cheating on Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:13:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21772009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoenix_Vagabond/pseuds/Phoenix_Vagabond
Summary: You are engaged to Jack Wilder, but honestly, things aren't working out as you originally hoped they would. Venting to Merritt has always been your go-to whenever Jack has upset you. But, with how personal things get discussing your life with Merritt, it's hard not to build an attachment to you favorite mentalist. And Merritt has always known how he feels about you.
Relationships: Jack Wilder/Reader, Merritt McKinney/Reader
Kudos: 5





	Word to the Wise

I could never remember exactly when something changed in our relationship. We started off great and immediately were able to work well together. It quickly progressed to him constantly hitting on me with a joking grin, which always told me not to take him seriously. I didn’t answer his meaningless flattery, and instead gave him a roll of my eyes in the same matter that he spoke.

I don’t recall when I stopped just rolling my eyes and when I actually started saying something in reply to him. It was just pretending that his flirting was serious so I would just smile and say thanks or give him a single word for an answer.

All I remember is that in the time that it took me to respond with my own flirting after I stopped not answering him, it had passed by in the blink of an eye.

“If you and your little boy toy ever have any problems, I’m always here for you,” he said with a wink at the end.

“Good to know you’ve got my back,” I replied with a grin.

His expression and posture said he was just joking like always, yet his eyes bore into mine and whispered that he was dead serious. He wouldn’t allow my heart to get broken if he could stop it.

“I’ve always got my eyes on your back,” he remarked. The humor was in his voice but not his eyes. They remained on mine, repeatedly conveying the message that he truly meant. Then, he looked away, breaking that intensity his pale eyes had.

“God, I don’t know how much of your flirting I can take,” Danny seethed.

“It’s not like they mean it, Danny,” Jack said from beside me. He gave my hand a little squeeze before kissing me briefly.

I still question how I ended up in Merritt’s room at three in the morning that one night.

I raised my hand to knock on his door, but it opened before I could.

“What happened?” he questioned softly.

“Jack…” I whispered.

He said nothing more. Grabbing my right hand, he gently pulled me into his room and closed the door behind me before locking it. We walked over to his bed and he sat up at the head, his back against the headboard while I sat a couple feet down the bed from him.

“Talk to me,” he said as he rubbed soothing circles into the back of my hand that he hadn’t let go of.

“We were walking down Main Street…” I started the retelling of how Jack had flirted and nearly kissed three other women while we were out on the town. I understood that he had been drunk, but it didn’t hurt any less. Nor did I change the fact that he had kissed Henley on the cheek. I was grateful that she had been sober and quick enough to dodge it. It also didn’t excuse how he could ignore me when I was with him the entire time. “…I don’t know. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to say yes to him,” I ended mumbling, staring at my hand as I twisted the diamond set in a gold band on my left ring finger.

“Hey,” he said before lifting my chin up with his free hand. “All relationships go through rough times, right?” I nodded so he continued. “This is just one of those times. Jack came home with you because he trusts and loves you. When he wakes up in the morning, you guys will talk out what happened tonight because you need him to know how this incident made you feel. I’m sure Henley will be willing to help you out too. She could even mediate it if you need.”

“I really don’t want to talk to him right now. I want to see him even less,” I stated looking at the comforter on the bed.

My chest was clenching tighter and tighter with my emotions. I was so proud that I got through telling him what happened without crying, but I might end up crying anyways.

“That’s why you need to. As much as you don’t want to, you know you love him. That’s why you said yes. That’s why sometime next year you two are getting married. That’s why you two have been together as long as you have.”

“How can I love someone that would kiss my best friend?!” My eyes met his once more as I snapped. Both in my voice and the tears that started free falling.

He clenched his jaw. I saw his Adam’s apple bob, so I knew he swallowed hard. Probably forcing down what he really wanted to say about Jack. This time he looked away from me as he ran a hand over his shaved head. His bottom lip got sucked into his mouth, and I noticed his jaw slightly moving as he gnawed at it.

“You know I hate seeing you hurt,” he murmured.

“I know, but I didn’t trust anyone else to tell them this,” I confessed while squeezing his hand as tightly as I could.

I wasn’t sure how else I could convey to him what I was feeling. I couldn’t even explain it in words.

His jaw clenched again and he tugged my hand, pulling me closer to him. I sat in between his sprawled legs with his arms wrapped tightly around me as I cried into his chest.

Eventually, I stopped crying and apologized for the wet blotches that littered the front of his shirt.

“I told you not to apologize for coming to me about issues you have. I knew what I signed up for then and I don’t regret it now,” his reply was firm but said in a quiet voice.

“Then can I say thank you?” I asked with a small smile.

“You can definitely say thank you whenever you like.”

“Thank you,” I said softly.

He smiled in return.

I got up from the bed and made it halfway to the door before I froze. There wasn’t anyway I could get into bed. Jack was guaranteed to have taken up the entirety of our bed and I didn’t want to try and fight for my half back.

I turned back to face him.

“Do you-,” I started but he cut me off.

“Yeah. You can stay,” he answered before I finished my question.

“Thank you.”

“I honestly didn’t think you’d start saying that as much when I said to say it whenever you like,” he jested.

“I am really grateful for you though,” I admitted.

“I’m beginning to understand that,” he stated and got up from his bed.

He stretched briefly, and I watched with curious eyes. His arms were straight above his head, seeming to continue upward farther than they should have gone. Then there was a solid five pops. I jumped at the sudden noise that broke the silence I didn’t know had settled in the room.

“Been waiting for that one for a while,” he commented with a grin. “Feels a lot better every time I get it.”

“I know the feeling.”

“Go. Hop on in bed. I’ve got to run to the bathroom. Just leave me a pillow and blanket for the floor,” he instructed as he walked past me.

I went to protest against him sleeping on the floor, but the bathroom door shut before I could. I sighed heavily before silently walking back over to the bed.

Slipping under the covers, I ignored his request for a blanket and pillow on the floor. I left his bedside lamp on because I knew he was going to get on my case for not doing what he asked.

A few moments later, he exited the bathroom and walked over to the bed.

“I thought I told you to leave a pillow and blanket out for me to use,” he said with a hint of humor in his voice.

“I can’t make you sleep on the floor,” I stated bluntly.

“I’m not making you sleep on the floor, even though it looks like your not getting out of my bed,” he responded.

“We’re both sleeping in your bed. It’s more than plenty big for both of us,” I said and threw the covers back for him to join me.

He stared at the space beside me. His bottom lip was once more sucked into his mouth and gnawed at. Hesitantly, he joined me under the covers.

“Thank you,” I repeated once again that night.

“Stop thanking me for stuff you don’t need to,” he stated.

He reached over me, face coming close to mine, and shut the light off without looking at it. I only knew he didn’t look at it because those pale eyes found mine once more before the dark swallowed them briefly from my sight.

The next morning, neither of us ever spoke a word about how we woke up. We never said how normal it felt to have our legs tangled together, never said a word about how intimately he held me, how close we were, how my hands clutched his shirt, how my face was buried in the crook of his neck, how he had a hand tangled in my hair while the other held onto my waist securely, how his face lightly nuzzled the side of my head and neck, or how he kissed my forehead and told me, “I’m always here when you need me, Honey.”

I didn’t dare tell anyone that I spent the night in his room. He knew not to either. We both had said that I left in the middle of the night, after his urging me not to, and I got a hotel room nearby instead.

Remembering instances with Jack was easy. How his kisses were light and playful most of the time. Occasionally, they were heated and passionate. His hands were just a tad calloused from working with cards like he did. Too many paper cuts from them to count had caused it. His smile always a beam of light against his darker appearance. Dark brown eyes that could scream I love you if they could talk.

Trying to forget instances when things went south with Jack was much harder. Mainly because I always sought out only one person. Then that hurt that I remembered Jack instilling in me was lifted away with ease. Somehow, those bad memories didn’t hurt as bad looking at them in hindsight as they did in the moment.

That being said, I don’t know how it became normal for me and our favorite mentalist to take late night drives for whatever the group needed. Or how he never called me by my name anymore and had taken to calling me Honey.

“What are we getting tonight?” I questioned as we got in the car.

“Danny said something about consulting some guy, Bryan, about a custom made box to reveal this one trick while still keeping it secret,” he answered.

He turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life.

“How far exactly is this Bryan?”

“I have no idea. Wherever Wellington is,” he replied.

“I’ve never heard of Wellington,” I stated as he punched in the address into the GPS.

“I’m pretty sure I have, but it’s been a while since I’ve been there.”

We both went silent and our eyes widened when we saw that it was a six hour drive away.

“No wonder he gave me over two hundred dollars,” he commented.

“Did you honestly think Danny would pay that much for something? He gives us just enough to get what he wants plus gas. It’s always down to the penny too.”

On cue, he pulled out a handful of change from his pocket.

“Oh yeah. I’ve noticed the down to the penny thing,” he deadpanned.

I laughed at his statement and he smiled.

“We better get going if we want to make it back before it’s dark again,” I said.

He agreed and shoved the coinage back into his pocket.

It was four hours later when we pulled over to stretch out. He once again stretched up like he did that one night, but no cracks came this time.

“Still waiting on it?” I asked seeing his disappointment.

“Yeah. Always seems like I am,” he responded.

“I’ll drive the rest of the way. You relax in the passenger seat,” I stated and went to the driver’s side.

He opened his mouth to protest, but I had gotten in the driver’s seat before he could. He joined me in the car in the opposite seat he had sat in the past four hours.

“I could have driven,” he remarked as I merged back onto the highway.

“Yeah, but if your back is bothering you, I don’t mind driving part of the way.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Then why did you make a face when you got out of the car and when you couldn’t get your back to crack?”

He was silent at that.

“Maybe I’ll give you a massage sometime for it,” I offered with a grin.

“I just might have to accept that. A massage sounds great,” he replied.

He reclined his seat some, easing the pressure on his back, and tilted his hat a little.

We didn’t say anything for a while and at some point, I had to turn right. When I did, those damn pale eyes caught mine. He hadn’t been sleeping like I had assumed. He had been watching me as I drove.

“What?” I asked half chuckling when he just smiled fondly at me.

“Have I ever told you how gorgeous you are, Honey?” he questioned.

I had to glance at him just to see if he was being serious. His pale eyes simply waited patiently for my answer.

“No. You haven’t,” I answered quietly.

“You’re gorgeous,” he said sincerely.

“Thank you.”

I turned and pulled into a parking lot next to the address.

“Come on, let’s go talk to Bryan,” he stated.

We got out of the car. It was around six in the morning and neither of us had slept yet.

Bryan was kind. He said he have it done sometime the next morning. He also told us about a hotel nearby.

Neither of us ran for the driver’s seat of the car as quickly as we did then. I won and he grumbled about how it was because I was younger than him that I won.

I usually don’t speed, but I made an exception for how badly I wanted to sleep in a bed.

We made it to the hotel and when we walked in, no one was at the front desk.

I rang the bell with my left hand. A tiny woman walked out and beamed a smile at us.

“Hi, can I get a room for two-,” I started but she cut me off.

“I have the honeymoon suite open if that will suit your needs. Your ring is beautiful by the way,” she told us.

I looked at him as I felt myself flush. He put his hand on my waist, pulling me into him and giving my side a light squeeze to try and calm me.

“Well, that all depends on the price. You see, we’re on our way to Vegas to elope, but it’s pretty far from here. And we only have so much money for hotels…” he rattled off some lie while I stood there and gave a small smile.

“The suite is the only one open and it’s only $105 a night,” she said.

He pulled out the money Danny gave us and set it on the counter.

“This is what I’ve got. What can two hundred get us?” he asked.

“The honeymoon suite for two nights. It rarely gets used and it’s been a while since I’ve seen such a loving couple like you two,” she replied.

“But we’re ten dollars short,” I couldn’t stop myself from saying it.

He jabbed a finger into my side before lightly rubbing the spot.

“I’ve got it covered. Don’t worry. Here’s your key. Have a goodnight, you two,” she smiled, sliding the key across the counter and leaving with the two hundred dollars.

He took the key and led me over to the elevators with his arm still around my waist. Once the doors closed, his arm slowly, reluctantly left my waist and I looked at him instantly.

“How did you know that lie would work?” I questioned in utter confusion.

“She didn’t wear a ring. Engagement or wedding. She had pictures of grandkids behind the front desk from a recent birthday. This isn’t a hotel you usually see couples at due to its location. All it took was her commenting on your ring and that was all I needed,” he explained.

“Why say that we were engaged instead of saying the truth?” I pressed on with another question.

“Because she wasn’t going to believe us not being a couple. We’re a man and a woman, walking into a hotel early in the morning, and you’re wearing an engagement ring. Assumptions will be made very quickly,” he said.

The elevator dinged, signifying that we were at our floor.

“Come on, Honey. Our room is waiting for us,” he teased me while getting off the elevator.

“Stop that!” I whined while feeling my cheeks burn.

I got out of the elevator and he chuckled when he saw my face.

“You look cute when you blush like that,” he commented.

I didn’t dare look at him or face him in my embarrassment.

“Honey,” he said and I could hear the smile in his voice. He looped an arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. “I couldn’t resist messing with you.”

“I know,” I replied simply.

He rested his cheek on my head for the few steps it took us to reach our room. We went inside and it was then that I finally remembered that the honeymoon suite only had one bed.

“Looks like I’m sleeping on the floor tonight,” he stated closing the door.

“No. You’re not. I will,” I argued.

“Please. What kind of gentleman would I be if I let you sleep on the floor?”

“Then what’s your solution?”

“We share the bed. It’s not like it’ll be the first time,” he remarked.

“That was different,” I said.

We never talked about that night. We probably should have considering how much our relationship has changed over the months, but we didn’t. Funny, especially since he spoke so much about a relationship needing proper communication.

“Tell me how it was different,” he insisted.

“Jack and I were having some problems that we were able to work through,” I retorted.

“You and Jack are currently having new problems though,” he instantly challenged.

He wasn’t wrong either. Everyone in our group knew what happened between Jack and I. We really did try to keep everything between the two of us, but it never worked out with how emotion driven the two of us are. He always confided in Danny who eventually would tell Henley and they all knew who I confided in. But for the illusion of it, I always said I told Henley and that our mentalist could easily read everyone to piece together what happened and we’d pretend like I never even spoke to him about such personal things.

This time, however, it was Jack who lashed out at me. Claiming that my outfits for the shows were beginning to be too revealing when I never changed my style. Jack claimed that I was looking for every male in the room to give me his attention when I knew I already had Jack’s. The only person’s attention I ever needed was Jack’s. He claimed I didn’t love him anymore.

I yelled back with how he was at the beck and call of every woman in the crowd of our shows. That he demanded their attention and affection even though he had mine. That I was jealous of how easily he seemed to shove the thought of me aside in order to take pictures or sign autographs for those women that fawned over him. That I felt like he didn’t love me despite the fact that I wore a ring he gave to me, asking to be his wife.

I didn’t leave the house on good terms with my fiance. Danny knew it, Henley knew it, and Jack knew it. That’s why it was me and my confident. The only person I turned to when Jack and I were at each other’s throats. Danny was probably glad to get us out so he and the other two could talk about how to help mend my relationship with Jack.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” I said through grit teeth.

He always knew what button to push on me that drove me to tell him everything.

Pale eyes looked at me not in anger or like he had won our argument, but in concern. He knew. He fucking knew that I was falling apart at the seams. I could feel my lip quiver because I hated being confronted about my own emotions. I couldn’t stand it when I was little and I can’t stand it now.

He reached out a hand toward me before saying, “That I am here for you and I will not leave.”

“Don’t tell me things like that. Don’t say things that give me false hope,” my voice shook heavily, but I refused to let the tears out this time.

He knew I hated crying in front of people, but somehow, he knew that if it was him I cried in front of, it was okay.

His arm dropped and he looked off to the wall before fixing me with a distressed look.

“Giving you false hope is saying that Jack still loves you. That Jack is waiting back at the house, waiting to wrap you in his arms and give you everything you’ll ever need in life. That you and him are a perfect couple. That you should build a lifelong marriage together. Do you know why? Because there are things that I can’t guarantee that I know! I don’t know if he still loves you. I don’t believe a perfect couple fights like how you two do. I don’t know if he’ll take care of you like he should. I don’t know how a marriage will work between you two because it doesn’t look like it’ll be healthy!” he snapped at me.

I wasn’t sure how to reply to that. He was so right. Jack and I led ourselves to believe that we could make things work. Maybe we aren’t supposed to work.

“You’re right,” I whispered so quietly, in such a resigned voice, it didn’t even sound like me.

Despite how quiet I thought I was, he heard my whisper.

“No. I’m not. Don’t let me be right. Prove me wrong. That’s what you’d usually do,” he disagreed.

Any anger in him dissipated instantly.

“Maybe that’s why you should be right. Because I’m always pushing to prove you wrong.”

“Stop that. You know Jack will look like shit when we get back. You know he won’t get a wink of sleep,” he said.

We somehow managed to flip sides in our argument.

“Why the change in heart all of the sudden?” I questioned.

It was bothering me like an itch I couldn’t scratch. No one switches sides like that just to continue playing devil’s advocate.

“Because I can’t be the reason you…I was out of line. My opinion shouldn’t change how you feel about Jack. That’s it,” he refused to look at me.

“What would you do if I left Jack? When we get back and I gave him back the ring, what would you do?” I pressed.

I took a couple steps toward him while he gnawed at his bottom lip again.

“I’d blame myself for putting the idea in your head,” he answered.

“No. You wouldn’t do that. Look me in the eye and tell me what you’d do,” I demanded.

He huffed out a sigh before closing his eyes. His head turned toward me and he slowly lifted his eyelids to reveal those pale blue eyes I found so familiar.

“Do you really want to know why?” he asked.

“I’m dying to know,” I exaggerated because I just wanted an answer.

His eyes held mine in a captivating look. The next thing I knew, one of his arms was around my waist and his other hand was at the back of my head, pressing my lips against his. He kept it brief and broke away before I could fully register what he did. His forehead rested against mine while he looked back into my eyes.

“I’d feel bad for causing you two to split, but I’ll be damned if I let another man love you,” he admitted.

It hit me like a ton of bricks. He loves me. He’s been in love with me for some time if the amount of feeling in his admission was anything to go by. Everything finally made sense. That night, the nickname, the flirting. Maybe it didn’t start out as love but it certainly was now.

“As much as I’d like for it to be real, you and I are unattainable. You shouldn’t reciprocate my feelings and desires. You should be happy with Jack. You should-,” he rambled but he stopped when I grabbed the front of his shirt.

I pulled his lips back to mine and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

“You know me better than anyone else,” I muttered against his lips.

“Just because I know you don’t mean anything,” he answered breathlessly.

“Yes. It does. It means that you took the time to pay attention to me and who I am. That matters,” I whispered arching into his body as his hand slid down my side. “Please, just listen to me. I am choosing you, right now.”

“Alright,” he replied.

His lips found mine once more while his hands grabbed my butt. My hands slid from being locked at the base of his neck to the front of his shirt. We broke apart for air. He kissed along my cheek and jaw while I began undoing the buttons.

“Are you sure about this? You can stop whenever-,” I put my lips back on his.

“My decision will not change. I am sure,” I stated firmly.

“Okay,” he allowed himself to finally let go.

His kisses were a lot different from Jack’s. Jack was a good kisser, but he could never measure up to this. It was hot, breathtaking, and just bordering the line of too rough. His lips were softer than I would have ever thought. His attention to detail with where he touched and when to touch was beyond my comprehension. His rough, calloused fingertips were something I didn’t know I liked until they touched my skin just beneath the hem of my shirt. He flashed me a smile which deep down, I knew had just been reserved for me and me alone. And those damn pale blue eyes. I never thought I’d see anything but humor, taunts, or flirtatious looks come from them. In that moment, I realized just how loudly his eyes spoke. And they only spoke of love when I looked at him.

He pulled away from me and quickly threw his button-up shirt off. I grabbed my shirt and tossed it to the side. His lips kissed mine once more as he backed me up to the bed. We fell onto red satin covers. His weight rested on his forearms on either side of my body while I reached up to cup his face.

I had to pull away from the kiss to breathe. He kissed down my jaw and neck while my chest rapidly rose and fell. His lips found some spot that made my breathing hitch. He gently nipped at the spot before licking it. Then, he just started sucking at the spot.

My back arched into him and I moaned, “Merritt.”

He pulled away from my neck and looked into my eyes.

“I love the way you say my name, Honey,” he said.

I don’t think him saying that nickname ever made me feel anything outside of annoyance until that moment.

“Merritt,” I repeated in more of a whine.

His hands were undoing the button and zipper to my jeans.

“I’m here, Honey. And I’m not going anywhere,” was his reply.

“Please,” I begged since he began kissing my chest.

He easily slid my jeans off my legs and when he moved to discard them, he took his jeans and boxers off as well. He quickly resumed his position over me and gave me a brief kiss.

“I’m going to make love to you tonight,” he stated sincerely.

“I really hope so,” I replied.

He chuckled, somewhere low in his throat that sent a shiver through me.

My bra was unhooked with practiced hands. Then, kisses were placed from my lips trailing down my body until he got to my panties.

“I sincerely hope you enjoy this, Honey,” he grinned from between my legs.

“Stop teasing me and just do it,” I responded.

I was so hot and bothered and he knew it. He always knew.

His teeth grabbed one side of my panties and he slowly started pulling them down my leg. Then he switched sides to bring the other side of my panties down. His teeth and tongue toyed with me by lightly nipping or licking my skin.

“Oh my god, please!” I begged.

My panties had been completely removed from my legs and he looked me up and down a couple times.

“Please what? What do you want?” he questioned.

“You,” I answered.

“You’ll have me. Just in a multitude of ways.”

He slowly, purposefully, tortuously took his time situating my thighs up on his shoulders as he pressed light kisses to my inner thigh.

“You’re a fucking tease,” I panted.

“It works though. It works really well on you,” he taunted.

His mouth finally made it to where I wanted it and my back arched immediately while I grabbed his head with one of my hands.

I moaned loudly and felt one of his hands let go of my hips to hold my free hand, our finger entwined.

Every lick, every kiss, every suck, every little thing he did with his mouth against me felt amazing. I tried my best not to grind against him too much. Until his other hand grabbed my ass, shoving his face deeper and encouraging me to grind against him.

“Fuck! Mer-ah-Merritt!” I couldn’t stop the moans that fell from my mouth.

He pulled back just enough to say, “I want you to cum.” Then his mouth was back on me and his tongue was pushing in and out of my core.

“Shit. Shit! Shit! Merritt!” I climaxed shouting his name.

He rode me through it for a few moments, making my orgasmic high last longer. I came down from it and he gently put my legs down. Wiping his mouth, he returned to his position over me, but this time his body was pressed against mine.

“I really wanted to make love to you,” he whispered as he kissed below my ear.

“Please. Do it,” I breathed.

He pressed a quick kiss to my lips before getting up and going over to his pants. It took him a couple seconds to find the right pocket, but he did and he pulled out a condom. He easily slid it onto himself before pumping it a few times.

I spread my legs as he kneelt onto the bed.

“I want you, Merritt,” I said.

“You will have me,” he replied.

He laid back over me and slowly pushed in. He did a few shallow thrusts to allow me to adjust for him. Then, he was all the way in. And I didn’t want to be anywhere else other than in his arms.

One of his hands tangled in my hair. One of mine gripped at his bicep. Our free hands remain entwined beside me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he groaned deep in his throat.

“Fuck,” he cursed quietly.

“Merritt, please,” I begged. And I didn’t even know what for.

“I’ve got you. I’ve always got you,” he replied.

He brought my hand, the one entwined with his, up to his lips and kissed the back and my knuckles. Then, he slowly let go of my hand. His arms hooked underneath my knees and he moved my ankles up until they rested on his shoulders.

“Ahh,” I groaned.

He grunted at the change in angle as he continued to steadily pump in and out of me. His head dropped to my shoulder, so I kissed his neck and nipped at his ear lobe.

“Ah, shit,” he swore while lightly grazing my shoulder with his teeth.

His hands found mine and he held them tightly while pinning them to the mattress on either side of us.

The rhythmic slap of skin burned itself into my mind. The soft nips that he littered my neck with, I could still feel long after he stopped. The weight of his lips on mine I couldn’t bare to forget. The increasing volume of his grunts and moans still made me smile. The pale blue eyes that looked at me like this was the best thing in life that could ever happen is still the image I see when I close my eyes.

“Fuck. Fuck. I’m gonna cum,” he panted urgently.

“Me too. Merritt, please. I’m so close. Merritt,” I moaned, dragging his name out as I climaxed again.

The way he gasped before whispering my name I will forever remember. I felt his hips push as far against me as they could while he released into the condom. He gave a few more thrusts before stopping, still buried inside me. He let my legs ease back down off his shoulders. He quickly returned to his position back over me.

“I love you,” I said gazing up at him.

He returned my gaze with a tender look in his eyes. 

“I love you,” he responded as he combed his fingers through my hair.

I reached up to grab the back of his neck. He got the gesture and instantly leaned down to kiss me. We kissed for a few moments and then he broke it.

“Sorry, gotta take care of this,” he muttered apologetically.

He gently pulled himself out of me and I nearly whined in protest. Smiling, he gave me a quick kiss before disposing of the used condom and grabbing a wet washcloth.

“I know how to take care of my girl,” he remarked.

“That you do. I will definitely agree with that,” I said.

He tenderly cleaned me up before chucking the washcloth to the bathroom.

I got up and tossed the covers back. Climbing into bed, he was quick to join me. He pulled the covers up over us and then pulled me closer to him. Just like all those weeks ago, we fell asleep together, but this time we weren’t ashamed of how we were lying together.

When we woke up, we weren’t ashamed with how it felt to have our legs tangled together, how intimately he held me, how my hand rested against his chest, how my face was buried in the crook of his neck, how my other arm was draped comfortably over his side, how he had a hand tangled in my hair while the other held onto my waist securely, how his face lightly nuzzled the side of my head and neck, or how he kissed me on the lips and told me, “I’m always here when you need me, Honey.”

I remembered how when we got back, Jack was waiting for me, worried that the two days away I had spent hating him. I didn’t. I spent that time accepting what we were and what we would never be.

I knew that no one noticed how my companion of the two days snuck a hand down to pinch my butt. They would never know what happened during this trip or our subsequent trips after. They just kept sending us to go get stuff in the middle of the night. Most times it was only a couple hours and we knew that we wouldn’t do anything. That’d be too risky. It was the overnight or two night trips that they should have worried about.

After a few months, we had to stop waiting for the trips because Danny decided to change who went on them. Usually, he went with Henley, or sometimes he took Jack. He never went with us, though. He only sent us together. One time, he tried to send me with Jack, but that ended in a two day argument that only got settled once we returned.

So, our mentalist and I worked out a better arrangement than trying to get away with what we did in the house.

After a few weeks, we had settled into a steady schedule that the others were oblivious to. He would leave around eight at night to “go to the magic store and see what new items they had” and afterward “stop by a bar for a drink.” I would then leave around nine to go “browse shopping with an old friend whose house I stayed the night at” when in actuality I was meeting him at a hotel for the night. Sometimes to make it convincing, he would return to the house around eleven and/or I would make it back just before midnight.

I did begin feeling terrible about what I was doing to Jack, but at the same time, I didn’t know how to stop.

When I walked up to the hotel door and knocked three times, our designated signal, he wasted no time in throwing the door open, pulling me in, and pushing me back against it. The force he pushed me back with was enough to close the door, but not hard enough for it to slam.

His lips were on mine instantly, desperately pressing against me since he knew we didn’t have much time together. He easily slipped my jacket off and undid my jeans so he could slip those off as well. I unbuttoned his shirt with more proficiency than I had the first time we did this. He tossed his shirt before pressing his body against mine.

In the back of my head, I remembered how the previous night Jack had pinned me against the wall similar to this and kissed me, kissed down my neck, and how he smiled. He smiled because he was so excited to have me for his wife and that we had managed to get through everything we did. We only had sex once. Jack and I didn’t cross that bridge often. Except for the night he proposed because it was for a celebration of our coming together in life.

Then, I felt the light kisses against my neck. I tilted my head slightly to give my new lover access to the spot he wanted. His lips sealed over it instantly and I lightly moaned.

“We should stop doing this,” I said. All I could think was what could happen if Jack found out.

My guilt finally had built up enough for me to say it.

“I know,” he replied yet continued kissing my neck and chest that was exposed. Then, he shoved his thigh between my legs, lightly rubbing up against me. “But you keep coming back.” His hands slid up my shirt, running along my stomach and toying with the bottom of my bra.

“This is the last time,” I was panting at his ministrations.

Despite my words, I still arched into him. I still clutched at his shoulders. I still moaned at his touch.

“No, it’s not,” he stated, slipping his hands underneath the cups of my bra.

“I won’t come back to you,” my voice shook as I moaned.

“Yes, you will,” he straightened up his neck and looked down at me with loving, pale blue eyes. “No matter what you do, you always come back to me, Honey.”

Despite everything I said he knew it was a blatant lie. He knew me better than anyone else could ever imagine.

His hands slid to the back of my bra and unhooked it. He quickly stripped me of my shirt and bra and threw them over his shoulder. His hands roamed over my naked body, following the familiar patterns that he loved to draw on me. They stopped at the back of my thighs and he lifted me up, holding me against the door with his body. He held me higher up than usual, and I heard him unzipping his pants.

He littered my neck and chest with kisses and little nips. I heard him tear open a wrapper.

“Merritt,” his name fell from my lips in anticipation.

“I’m here, Honey. I’ve got you,” he whispered in my ear.

I gasped as he pushed into me. He watched me as my head lulled back against the door. I dragged my nails down his chest as he began to thrust into me. He hissed while red streaks followed the path of my fingers.

He slammed his mouth into mine and I gladly accepted his kiss.

Then, he pulled away from the door, walking over to the bed and sitting down with me on top of him.

“I want you to ride me,” he panted heavily.

I nodded and helped him get his pants off the rest of the way before we got situated on the bed.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered as he clutched at my hips.

He was giving a small thrust every time I went down on him and it was pushing him deeper in me.

“You always look beautiful,” he added.

I could only gasp and moan in response. Since I couldn’t get a witty retort or even a thanks out, he just grinned at me from ear to ear.

He slowed the rate of my hips down, so I was basically sitting all the way down on him.

“How do you want me to take you?” his question surprised me.

We usually didn’t bother with how, but I had to admit, it was nice for it to feel like we had all the time in the world. A quick glance at the clock reminded me we didn’t.

“Bend me over the bed and take me from behind,” I answered breathless.

He smiled and kissed me. He let go of my hips, allowing me to ease off him before I positioned myself at the end of the bed. His hands ran up my sides and came to rest on my shoulders. Pressing his front flush against my back, I groaned as he kissed my neck. I grabbed the backs of his thighs and grinded against him.

“Are you ready, Honey?” he teased.

“Merritt, please,” I whined.

He gave me a light push so I would lean over the bed and he eased into me once more making both of us moan. I balled the blankets in my fists as he continued with pistoning in and out of me.

“Ah! Merritt! Shit. Ah!” I panted heavily.

His hands held onto my hip and waist, caressing my back every so often. Then, he leaned over top of me, his hands going right beside mine, and his lips kissing the back of my neck.

“I’m getting close,” I quickly breathed out.

“So am I,” he whispered.

He slid a hand in my hair and turned my head so I would meet his lips over my shoulder. His hand let go of my hair and I wrapped an arm around his neck to kiss him harder. The hand that left my hair found its way in between my legs. I broke off from the kiss, but he followed my lips and swallowed my moan.

“Cum for me,” he said against my lips.

“Oh, god! Merritt!” I called out his name as I clenched around him.

“Shit! Ah!” he groaned behind me.

I felt him fill the condom as he whispered my name in my ear. The sensation caused me to climax and he rode me through it. I collapsed to the bed like my body was jelly and he held himself up with shaky arms.

“We definitely should stay the night here,” he told me.

“Yeah,” I agreed.

Once more, my head swarmed with scenarios of how Jack would react if he knew this was happening.

Merritt pulled out of me and took care of the condom before grabbing a wet washcloth like always.

“Are you okay?” he questioned after he cleaned us up.

I guess my face gave away what I was thinking.

Shaking my head no caused Merritt to lay beside me and pull me into his embrace. I allowed him to. He didn’t say anything and I figured it was because he was going to wait for me to say my piece first. I never did. And I suppose he gave up on waiting since his breathing evened out as it lightly blew across my neck and shoulder.

In that moment, I could have left. I could have slipped out from beneath the covers, beneath his arms, and left the hotel. I should have. But I didn’t.

In retrospect, I guess I should have been able to see how everything was going to end. Maybe I just made myself forget so I could keep my little secret alive.

Two days before mine and Jack’s wedding, we were doing a rehearsal dinner. It was the five of us plus a few other magicians from the Eye. Not more than thirty people if that.

I had spent a lot of the time staring at my engagement ring. Thinking about how it was supposed to be a promise to Jack from me that I was intending on spending my life with him and a warning to other men that I was taken. Somehow, it never stopped me from doing what I did.

Jack and Danny were chatting with a couple of the older, more experienced magicians while Henley was speaking with Dylan. I scanned the room and failed to find Merritt. It worried me.

I left the dining area and started searching for Merritt in the venue. He was outside sitting under the gazebo alone.

Walking out, I sat next to him and placed my hand gently on his knee.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

Somehow, being in the reverse sides of our situation from a couple weeks ago made me wonder if this was how he felt then.

“My brother died,” he stated stoically.

“What?!” I asked shocked.

I knew his brother had betrayed him, but even so, there was still a level of love that Merritt always kept for Chase.

“I got the call about twenty minutes ago,” he added.

“Are you going to go see him? Make sure it’s him?” I questioned.

“No. I know it’s him. He was the only person in his house when it caught fire. Surprisingly, he’s a lot like me. We’re both just hermits,” he said.

All of us knew that Merritt hated the fact that he got the hermit card back when we first joined together in a group. Now, he hated the fact he allowed himself to be that way.

I took his hand in mine.

“You’re not a hermit. You’ve got Danny, Henley, Jack, and me with you,” I argued.

He slipped his hand out of mine.

“It’s about to just be me again. With you and Jack getting married, he talked about getting a place for the two of you. And when that happens, Danny and Henley will move out for a place of their own too. I’ll be alone just like how it was always meant to be.”

“Merritt, no,” I stated as anger began to bleed into my voice.

How could he think that I’d leave at the drop of a dime?

“I know you’re not that oblivious. You knew it was coming down to this. Both of us knew, yet we still kept doing what we did,” he growled back.

“I know we did. And I enjoyed every second I spent with you.”

“You’re leaving me! Just like how everyone always does!” he snapped.

He turned away, but I grabbed his arm. It took nearly all my strength to pull him back to me.

“I don’t want to leave! I don’t want you to leave! What do I have to do to get you to see that?!” I questioned.

“If you haven’t figured out what I want you to do then why am I still here? Why are you here with me instead of being inside with your future husband?” he hissed.

I opened my mouth to retort back but I closed it since I didn’t have an answer.

“That’s what I thought. I’m leaving and I probably won’t be back for the wedding. It’s the least I could do for you,” he said.

Merritt spun away from me once more and left the outside area. He ignored everyone inside, although, it wasn’t like anyone bothered to stop him.

We were all set to leave roughly an hour later. I had my mind stuck on what Merritt said and I couldn’t shake his words. Jack told me he was loading up the car, so that when I came outside from the bathroom, we’d be set to go.

Just as I opened the door to leave, a hand caught my shoulder and stopped me from leaving the bathroom. The hand’s owner slipped in through the cracked door and he shut it before locking the door as well.

“Merritt,” I whispered before I could yell at him for stopping me.

“I’m sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have said any of it. I’m happy for you and Jack,” he said sincerely.

“I don’t understand,” I was confused.

“Forget everything I said earlier. I let my grief about my brother cloud my thoughts. I had no right to make the claims I did and I’m sorry for making them.”

“Ok…” I still was unsure. This wasn’t Merritt. This was not the man I knew.

“Great! I’ll see you tomorrow!” he said.

He went to unlock the door but I grabbed his hand.

“Wait. I don’t understand. I-I…Please, just explain to me whatever you just said. Because I don’t get at all.”

“I’m trying to break it off with you so that you can be at peace. That way you no longer stress over Jack finding out or walking in on us. I don’t want to put you through that.”

I stared at him in shock for the second time that night.

“Merritt…”

“I don’t want to, but if it’s for your benefit, then I’m willing to make the sacrifice.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. Just let me go.”

With those pale eyes looking at me just as intensely as they had on the plane when I first noticed a difference in their look, he unlocked the door. Merritt turned to open the door, but I couldn’t let him. I couldn’t let go. I pushed his shoulder so he’d face me once more and I threw myself into his arms, pressing my lips desperately against his.

His hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away so I couldn’t continue.

“You can’t keep doing this,” he stated.

“I will not lose you,” I responded.

“You chose Jack. You chose to marry him. You did not choose me. I can’t give you the life he can,” he reasoned.

“He can’t give me the love you can,” I retorted.

“This has gone on long enough. We can’t do this anymore.”

“Then let this be the last time,” I offered.

“There is no this.”

“Please, Merritt. If we’re going to end this then let’s have a final goodbye.”

I pleaded with him before he finally gave into me.

It was not like the first time. He pushed me against the wall and slid his hands up my dress to grab my panties. His rough fingertips dragged along my skin heavily until they hooked around my waistband. My hands slid down his light blue clad chest before dropping down to undo his pants’ button and zipper. Lips brushed along too well known spots across my neck and chest that had my head spinning. My panties dropped to my ankles and he grabbed one of my legs by my knee. He hiked it up to his hip as he pressed a kiss below my ear.

“Merritt,” I breathed.

He only looked at me with those pale blue eyes. I saw the love he had pouring out of them and how his eyes always told a different story than his actions.

His hand slid back under my dress to grab my butt. I arched into him and his touch. He pushed me back against the wall. Lifting me up, my panties hung off one of my ankles. It didn’t surprise me when he grabbed them and took them off my leg completely.

“You have to be quiet,” he muttered against my skin as he leaned back to my neck.

“Okay,” I whispered in reply.

I knew he was pulling himself out of his pants, but he stopped before doing anything to me.

“I don’t have a condom,” he stated.

“I don’t care,” was my instant response.

“You should,” he said.

Then he pressed into me and covered my mouth with his. I was grateful because he swallowed a loud moan that would have escaped me otherwise.

I kissed him. I kissed him hard, rough, passionately, whatever other adjectives you want to use. That’s what it was. I didn’t care that I said this was the last time. I don’t think I could ever consider a last time with Merritt.

“Please. Merritt. I need you,” I whispered as quietly as I could.

He grunted low in his throat before reattaching his lips to mine. One of his hands slipped between us to rub between my legs.

I clenched around him as he thrust up into me over and over and over again. I kept my legs locked around his hips while I was thrown over the edge with him. My hands clutched at whatever part of him I could find. His lips sealed over mine as I tried not to moan his name to the heavens.

He let my legs down but leaned against me, against the wall, heavily.

“I’ve got to let you go too,” he murmured against my temple. He pressed a kiss there after wrapping his arms around me.

“No, you don’t,” I replied winding my arms around him.

“Yes, I should.”

“You don’t.”

He sighed heavily. I felt his breath pass by my ear.

“You need to go. Before Jack comes looking for you,” he stated.

“Okay,” I responded.

I leaned up as far as I could searching for his lips. They met mine briefly. Merritt pulled away as soon as there was a knock on the door.

“Future Mrs. Wilder? Are you in there?” Jack voice asked outside the door.

I looked back at Merritt and pressed one last kiss to his lips before slipping out the door.

“Hey, there you are,” Jack said.

“Sorry I took so long. There was a woman in there before me,” I lied.

“That’s fine,” he smiled.

We walked out hand in hand and Danny and Henley were waiting beside our car when we did.

“What are you two doing?” I questioned.

“Well, you see, proper tradition says that the groom and bride aren’t to see each other the day and night before they are wedded,” Danny started.

“So, we are going to be taking Jack to a separate house and Merritt will be taking you to a house as well,” Henley finished for him.

As if on cue, Merritt appeared beside the second car that I hadn’t noticed.

“Alright. If you guys are set on doing this,” Jack said smiling with a shrug. I gave them a smile too.

Jack turned to me, wrapping his arms around my waist gently before pulling me closer to him. I placed my hands on his shoulders as his chest pressed against mine. We kissed briefly, sweet and playful like I knew his kisses to be. It wasn’t brief enough for me. And I definitely knew it wasn’t brief enough for someone else there too.

He pulled away and placed a quick kiss to my nose. I quietly laughed, just loud enough for Jack to hear. My hands left his shoulders and his left my waist. Jack slid into the backseat of Henley and Danny’s car before the three of them left.

“I suppose we should get going,” Merritt broke the silence between us.

I jumped slightly at the sound of his voice.

“Yeah. We should,” I replied still staring in the direction Jack’s car had gone.

I finally looked over to the car. Merritt was standing beside the passenger side door, holding it open for me, and waiting patiently me to join him.

I flushed slightly when I realized he had been waiting a couple minutes for me.

“Don’t worry about making me wait. The house isn’t leaving. We’ll still make it there before it’s even eleven tonight,” Merritt stated.

He wasn’t even looking in my direction. I hurried over to the car and got in, avoiding looking at him as well because I didn’t know what the hell I was feeling.

Merritt got in and our ride to the house was silent.

When we arrived, Merritt came to my side and opened the door for me, offering me a hand to help me out. I took it but never looked at him. Although, his pale eyes never seemed to even glance at me.

He released my hand once I was out and he led me up to the house. This wasn’t one that the Eye used so I was a little confused. Merritt closed the door behind us and walked over into the living room after leaving his jacket on a chair.

“Henley and Danny took Jack to their house that they’re leasing. They convinced me that it’d be a good idea for you and Jack to spend the day away from each other before you get married. Then, they told me that they’d take Jack and I’d take you to our separate houses for that day. I couldn’t say no. I wanted to say no so badly, you couldn’t begin to understand how much I wanted to. But, I didn’t. I told them yes because I wanted to see you one last time before you become Jack’s wife,” Merritt confessed.

“Merritt…” I whispered.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a sad, old man. I don’t deserve you. I shouldn’t have ever considered our relationship serious. I shouldn’t have done this to Jack,” Merritt said as he ran a hand across his scalp.

“Merritt, it’s my fault. I went to you for everything. Anytime I needed something that Jack couldn’t give me, I found it in you. God, I don’t know why I’m doing this anymore. At first, I thought it was just resentment toward Jack and who he used to be. But it’s not that. It’s something more and I can’t explain it.”

He finally looked at me. Those pale blue eyes met mine and I had to take a breath at how intense they were. He was angry, upset, and he was trying so hard to hide the love from his eyes. But his eyes could never lie.

“You know exactly what it is,” Merritt snapped.

It made swallow hard. I broke eye contact with him because I knew he was right. I don’t love Jack. I might not have ever loved Jack in all honesty. I love Merritt. We both know it and now I’m not going to admit it because another man’s ring is on my finger.

“I only wish that I had been the one that was with you when we pulled that stunt on Dylan,” Merritt whispered softly.

His voice was resigned. And with his voice, his expression fell and he turned away from me. For once, I let him walk away from me when he wanted to. I did not try to follow him. I simply stood in the middle of his house and tried my best not to break. Unfortunately, I’m terrible at not breaking when I don’t have Merritt as my main support.

I searched his house for the guest bedroom through my tears. I found it and I slept in my dress since I didn’t change. It hurt to not have Merritt hold me when I could easily smell his cologne and detergent in my room.

The next morning, I woke up and I was confused for a few seconds when I didn’t recognize the room. I remembered that I was at Merritt’s house and that I’d be staying here one more night before my wedding.

There was a couple knocks on my door.

“I’ve got breakfast ready if you’d like some. If you don’t come out, I’ll just check back in another hour,” Merritt said through the door.

I sighed heavily. “Coming,” I responded.

I got up and went to the en suite to freshen up a little. When I got in there, I realized I didn’t have any underwear on. Then, I remembered that I hadn’t grabbed them from the bathroom at the venue. I groaned in frustration at myself and finished up as quickly as I could.

Walking into the kitchen, I saw Merritt eating at the table by himself, a second plate set up across from him.

“Mornin’, sunshine,” Merritt commented when he noticed I was there.

He was reading the newspaper, t-shirt and pajama pants still on, so he hadn’t showered yet.

“Morning,” I replied quietly.

I sat across from him and began eating the breakfast he made me.

It was unbearably silent. It wasn’t the way we usually acted with each other. And it was driving me nuts.

“I can’t do this,” I stated and shoved my plate away from me. I had eaten most of it so if he never made me another meal, I’d accept his reasoning.

“Can’t do what?” he questioned not even looking away from his paper.

“This! This silence between us! The tension!” I shouted.

“You put it there! You know damn well what I want. You can’t decide what you want for yourself or you can’t put yourself before a man you don’t even care about!” he said back.

I clenched my jaw at that. I knew that he was talking about Jack because we know that I care too much about Merritt to think of throwing him to the wayside.

“I don’t know what you want, Merritt. You’ve never said it and at this point, I could only guess,” I said.

He huffed and threw his paper aside. Then, he grabbed my left hand and held it up.

“Look at your hand and tell me what you see,” he demanded with anger lining his voice.

“An engagement ring,” I replied with my eyes boring into his.

“Guess what?”

“What?”

“You didn’t get this engagement ring from me!” he growled before releasing my hand and standing up abruptly.

It was then that I realized how deep his love ran for me. He wanted to marry me. He wanted to spend his life with me. He wanted to love me and let me love him.

I stared at the ring as he paced along his side of the table.

“Do you understand our problem now?! I want to marry you, but you’re marrying someone else!” Merritt finally vocalized it.

The ring practically mocked our entire relationship. It stood for everything that we couldn’t be as long as I wore it.

I didn’t want that.

When Henley and Danny came to Merritt’s house to see why we hadn’t shown up to the wedding, they found some things they weren’t expecting and found others missing. Merritt and I were the obvious two things missing. My wedding dress was the other thing that was missing. One of the things they found was a letter apologizing to them and especially to Jack for not going to his wedding. Also, we offered our best wishes to the three of them for the future. The last thing that they noticed would have been the gold band engagement ring with a single diamond set in it that was left beside the letter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed this little journey!!


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